Cylindrical, barrel style pumps have been in use for decades. Some barrel pumps are long and small in diameter therefore capable of pumping to a high pressure. Other barrel pumps are large in diameter and can be found in both long and short versions. Though lower pressure can be achieved with the larger diameter pumps, a greater volume of air can be moved with each pump stroke.
Circa 1990, compressed gas cartridge dispensers began to gain popularity. Out of all applications, one industry in particular that gained popularity with improved, controllable compressed gas cartridge dispensers was the bicycle industry. The advent of controllable compressed gas dispensers finally allowed a cyclist with a flat tire to dispense all or a portion of a high pressure gas cartridge with confidence and for example, prevents tire over-inflation when dispensing a compressed gas cartridge leaving the option to save the unused compressed gas for later use.
Just recently, two companies have introduced barrel pumps featuring an integrated compressed gas cartridge dispensing means in the same pump. This allows the user to manually pump air or controllably dispense a compressed gas cartridge utilizing one piece of hardware.
A company called SAPO produces one such barrel pump also capable of dispensing a compressed gas cartridge. FIG. 1 PRIOR ART conceptually illustrates a side view of the SAPO dual function pump attached to a tire inflation stem. Manual actuation is performed in a linear motion much like most barrel pumps that utilize a sealed piston within the barrel to displace air. A compressed gas cartridge threadably attaches to the dispensing end of the barrel pump at an angle approximately thirty degrees off the barrel axis, designated by the Greek symbol Theta (θ).
Being that the compressed gas cartridge protrudes at an angle θ from the pump barrel axis, it would be difficult for one to mount the barrel pump on a frame such as on a bicycle frame while a cartridge is attached to the pump. The protruding compressed gas cartridge can easily create mounting interference problems and could negatively get in a rider's way. Also, the spokes on a bicycle wheel can interfere with the user's hands during activation because of limited working space, and additionally, the SAPO dual function pump offers no compressed gas cartridge storage means other than in its threaded dispensing housing. The design lends to mounting the barrel pump on a frame and inconveniently storing both full and consumed compressed gas cartridges somewhere else, such as in a saddle bag or in a rider's jersey pocket.
Additionally, the SAPO barrel pump having the compressed gas cartridge mount at an acute angle θ off axis from the barrel potentially aligns the cartridge to the user, particularly the user's head when oriented as shown in FIG. 1 PRIOR ART. Should the user rapidly unthread the cartridge from the dispenser, the cartridge could become a dangerous projectile lined up with the user's face or neck. Sometimes, when compressed gas cartridges, particularly those filled with liquefied carbon dioxide are dispensed with the outlet pointing down, form solid frozen carbon dioxide at the cartridge exit hole. The momentary accumulation of solid frozen carbon dioxide at the exit hole can temporarily block the flow of high pressure gas, duping the user to believe that the compressed gas cartridge is empty. A short time later, the solid flow blocking accumulation thaws and once again high pressure gas flows from the cartridge exit hole, effectively turning a compressed gas cartridge into a projectile. The entire cycle of free flow, flow stopping frozen accumulation, and thaw process thus allowing flow once again can occur over moments, potentially corresponding to the amount of time it would take for a user to unthread a compressed gas cartridge from the SAPO pump now capable of becoming a projectile aimed at the user's head.
A company called SKS Metaplast GmbH (hereinafter called SKS) produces another such barrel pump also capable of dispensing a compressed gas cartridge. FIG. 2 PRIOR ART conceptually illustrates the SKS dual function pump. Manual actuation is performed in a linear motion much like most barrel pumps utilizing a sealed piston within the barrel to displace air. A compressed gas cartridge threadably attaches to the dispensing end of the barrel pump at ninety degrees off the barrel axis, designated by the Greek symbol Sigma (σ).
Being that the compressed gas cartridge on the SKS dual function barrel pump protrudes at a ninety degree angle σ from the pump barrel axis, it would be difficult for one to mount the barrel pump on a frame such as on a bicycle frame while a cartridge is attached to the pump. The protruding compressed gas cartridge would cause interference problems with mounting and could annoyingly or unsafely get in a rider's way. Additionally, the SKS dual function pump offers no compressed gas cartridge storage means other than in its threaded dispensing housing. The design lends to mounting the barrel pump on a frame and inconveniently storing both full and consumed compressed gas cartridges somewhere else, such as in a saddle bag or in a rider's jersey pocket.
Additionally, the SKS barrel pump having the compressed gas cartridge mount at a perpendicular angle σ off axis from the barrel aligns the cartridge towards a tire sidewall. Opposite the compressed gas cartridge mounting location is a flow actuation valve that also protrudes perpendicular to the barrel pump axis and can be seen in FIG. 2 PRIOR ART. In use, both the compressed gas cartridge and the flow actuation valve are located up against the spokes of a bicycle wheel and/or tire sidewall thus providing limited working space for a user's hands to dispense the compressed gas cartridge.
The current invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art dual function pumps available providing the user with a more versatile dual function barrel pump integrated with a compressed gas cartridge dispenser.
The following embodiments will describe the present invention as well as exemplify the preferred embodiment. Additionally, with the aid of figures and an understanding of the prior-art, one having ordinary skill in the art will be able to understand and appreciate the gained utility from the embodiments to follow.